


Sapphire Strand Binding

by AstraKiseki



Category: Exalted
Genre: Beast Ears, Bondage, F/M, Fluff, Frottage, Heaven, Martial Arts Training, No Nudity, No Sex, Sidereals, Solars
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-02-18
Updated: 2012-02-18
Packaged: 2017-10-31 09:27:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/342475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AstraKiseki/pseuds/AstraKiseki
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bondage and Martial Art practice shouldn't be this cute!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sapphire Strand Binding

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Path](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Path/gifts).



> Okay, this is another 'I wrote this a while ago but I'm putting it here' fiction. The Swallowed Darkness Style here was made by Dinosaur, and the Demented One made the Sidereal Charm mentioned. Just to say.

Even in Yu-shan, the woods were not quiet.  
  
A figure shifted slightly, the rustle of leaves somewhat hushed compared to the symphony of nocturnal music around a tree on the very edge of the vast wood. The figure was half-hidden amidst the roots, dressed in shades of raw umber and midnight that helped him blend with the shadows around him, resting against the stout tree as he waited in the dark. Pale skin, dark eyes half-shut, and something off, a pair of soft, rodent-like ears perched on top of his head, flicking and reacting to every sound around him. He couldn't be mortal, could he, as at ease as the handsome man seemed.  
  
The man crossed his arms, glancing upward at the luminous silver orb in the sky as he waited patiently, permitting his lips to twitch slightly into a mask of divine arrogance, a way to conceal what he truly was. It wasn't as difficult as he had feared in the beginning, a simple adjustment of stance as he walked, a roll of the hips to play off the concept of gender as only an aesthetic, a certain expression of boredom at the splendor around him, the capability to outright ignore certain discomforts for the sake of the illusion. He could easily ignore the beauty around him, remembering his goal, the pain that had come from this city that was Heaven...  
  
Lies though, those were as difficult as they were simple for him, poisoned sweetness that filled him with a sense of guilty pleasure and pain every time he had to deceive with words. He knew them necessary, to destroy possible threats, but... He found them unjust, righteousness clashing with what had to be done. And yet, being able to guide others back to the right path, for them to believe him and never even think of distrusting him... He let out a sigh, resting his head against the bark, losing himself in reminders of his purpose. He was Illuminated, a Chosen of the Sun meant to reform the spirit courts in due time. He was still young in his years as an Exalted, still a student of the world and seeking out its secrets.  
  
"Bevel." At the utterance of his name, the Northerner blinked black eyes at the soft voice, automatically tilting his head a fraction downward as his ears flattened with embarrassment at being caught unaware. "Daydreaming, I see?" Before him was a slight figure dressed in dark robes, an almost shadow under the night sky of Luna's victory, smiling up at him with starry eyes and the fragrance of sandalwood and vanilla all around them both. The moonlight caught itself on the threads of the sorcerer's clothes, metallic strands picking out some ancient spell's words, as warm lips brushed against his in the dark, small breasts against his broad chest, a shiver down his back.  
  
"Apologies, Woe." Bevel cupped the Sidereal's face, warmth flooding his veins as he lightly caressed across pale skin, sharp cheekbones, chuckling as lips wrapped around his finger as he lingered there. "But you were being late here."  
  
A laugh, high, sweet, and lyrically feminine to his ears rippled in the air before quietly being hushed by the Chosen of Secrets, going on tip-toe to wrap robed arms around his neck. "How often do I get to see you lost in thought, oh Solar Thunder?" Her voice whispered up into his ear as he scooped her up, biting his lip to ignore the fluttering warmth of her breath. "With your cute ears flicking in the air..." Hands stroked his ears almost possessively, forcing him to restrain a long shudder from the pleasure.  
  
"Do not make me want to drop you, Innocent Bringer of Woe." Bevel snapped sharply, clenching his arms around her tightly, fighting back his visceral reaction. "Settle down so I can actually see where in the name of Mercury am I going." He could quite clearly hear the Sidereal's pouty 'hmph!' as he retreated back into the vast grove again, his feet swift even with the weight of another in his arms, exulting in the wind as he moved and her position, how the two made his Woe's breath and teasing words be far less distracting than its norm. "I'd hate to explain to Master Pugu-mian why you were favoring a limb."  
  
"You forget, my dear," The Exalted priest shifted his lover's weight in his arms as the Oracle kissed his cheek chastely, smirking to himself at the feel of a firm, almost bony bottom half-against his stomach, "That I can simply rewrite Fate to omit such an injury." An slender arm rested on his shoulder as he sprinted across fields of grass under thick, entangled branches.  
  
"But you need a reason for Fate to mend your injury so, if I recall your lessons on the contrasts of Sidereal and Solar Charms." The smell of heavy undergrowth surrounded them both, hardly masked by the very fine sheen of sweat forming on the Solar's brow or by the perfume the Sidereal favored so. "As I was told, it is better to not need it at all, yes?"  
  
"That is true." Woe answered softly, her arm slipping down to hug herself instead. "Speaking of such things, how have been your studies on Celestial law?" Bevel winced at the question. She knew just as well as he how much he chafed during the long hours probing over musty, tattered tomes involving the long-forgotten Mandate of Heaven, considering it all useless after centuries and longing to bring protocol to Creation before even daring to face Heaven's bureaucracy. Instead, he kept silent, focusing on the hushed melody of the nearest thing Yu-shan had to wildlife.  
  
Their destination was a building beside a tree, carefully crafted to seem an extension of the grove's trunk, windows concealed by knotholes, amber panes that hid the shelter within. As keyed as the Celestial manse was to the two, the door silently swung open. Even so, Bevel couldn't help to shiver, Woe burying her face against his chest, almost perfectly over his heart, a muted shudder of fear and need racing though their veins as they slipped in, the door clicking shut behind them as Bevel set Woe down on her booted feet, the warm light around them allowing him to finally see the jewel-tone shades she was in, a dark forest green and an almost shining black, the needlework in golden hues. Secretive, compared to the bold blues the Cult expected him to wear, the color he had always favored even before the Sun had raised him on high.  
  
For a quick heartbeat she stood there, before pressing herself against Bevel's frame, shivering against him for strength. "Jupiter, I hate that field." She whispered huskily, her arms clenched in between them. "Even with the hearthstone, it scares me."  
  
Lightly, Bevel flicked away a strand of black hair that had fallen across her face, brushing across her eyelashes as he spoke gently, his voice filling with Solar strength, the support a Pillar of Heaven should provide to all. "Even with me there?" The Zenith smiled as her spine straightened, a flash of courage across her eyes as she turned away, leading the way into the gnarled root system that was the heart of the Oaken Heart Tower.  
  
"It doesn't help when your ears flatten when you come in, Bevel." Woe answered back with a weary sigh, even as she smiled up at him. "I know it means you are scared." Her relieved giggle echoed in the small entrance hall as Bevel felt his face flush, his ears fall back against his hair with embarrassment as he trailed behind her, trying to decide if he should mutter a few choice words about her pedigree as they descended past warm lanterns and doorways leading off into other parts of the Tower.  
  
She pushed a violet curtain away from a door, waiting expectantly for the Northerner to slip though, his fingertips brushing lightly across her stomach as he lightly stepped across the polished wood floors, his hands behind his back. "What do you need me for practicing for?" Bevel could hear the thud of her footsteps across the floor, the crisp sound of... rope? He glanced over his shoulder with a frown.  
  
The Secrets stood there with a length of midnight blue rope, her shy smile replaced with a set jaw, her back rigid. "My sifu requested that I practice rope-tying, Bevel, and um..." A familiar blush blossomed across her face, her sage-green eyes trying to glance away, attempting to resist the one small order the Zenith slipped in her thoughts whenever he could. Her brow furrowed, her voice turning slightly accusative. "What did you do this time?" She strode forward, the rope in both hands. "Turn around so I can stop staring."  
  
Bevel sighed, spinning on his heel, his hands behind his back with the distinct feeling he had just been caught with his hand in the sweetness of her pretty mind. "Not to avert your eyes as usual... milady." He could hear the very minute intake of breath at the formal title, too soft for her to realize she was even doing it consciously, a catch in her breath at his conscious acknowledgment of her control in this situation. "You are my superior in the Cult, you shouldn't be so nervous around-" His lecture was cut off by a grunt, thin ropes taut around his wrists as a warning.  
  
"Adept. Be quiet, please."  
  
The soft order, raw with authority, made him truly stand up straight, every muscle and nerve on edge at the caress of her voice. The rustle of robes circled him, gently putting a long, long rope around his neck as she continued to speak, frowning in concentration as her head slowly dropped, fingers tying knots down the length of the rope. "Leilani is doing well."  
  
"Oh, she's been in Yu-shan?" He kept his voice perfectly level, gazing forward as he felt the brush of her fingertips tickle his stomach, a syllable of one of the many mantras he had learned on his lips with each breath he released, a needed focus.   
  
"Not for very long. You know my kind." Woe answered briskly, falling into the rhythm of her work. He could hear her moving about even as he stared straight forward, the creak of rope almost embarrassingly loud as he controlled his breath, soft, and slow. "She mentioned your brother was doing well, and that he apologizes in advance when you hear about his last... mission." Then, before Bevel could inquire exactly what the Hell his twin did now, he let out a startled, high-pitched gasp, the rope moving, the Sidereal's hands moving swiftly, silk biting across his skin with almost sizzling heat to his nerves as Woe spoke politely. "Oh, and she and my sifu wanted me to practice knot work."  
  
The rope became taut, a knot grinding against his tailbone, shivering just above sensitive skin as he felt the bindings tightening, a pattern across his torso, slipping under his arms and over his shoulders, surrounding him in a network of knots and rope that seemed to embrace every sensitive pressure point of his body.  
  
Slowly, forcing his body to come to attention, to ignore the surge of blood gushing into a specific piece of his anatomy, he let out a soft sigh. "Please tell me this isn't the set up for some poor jest, milady."  
  
"Hm?" She touched his chin, pulling it down to meet her gleaming eyes, the soft glow of her caste mark almost mesmerizing as she smiled, all the trust in the world. "Of course not." She went on her toes to kiss his mouth, sweet fire sizzling though his veins at her love, at feeling so completely bound up in this. "I told you that I had to practice in the house of the Guardians, and that includes being able to keep thieves from escaping." Woe brushed her fingertips across his nose, tapping the tip once with a smirk. "Such as a certain Pillar making off with my heart."  
  
As Bevel smiled, realizing her cheeky point, he heard her yanking something of cloth away, from near her waist if his ears knew the truth, her robes slacking enough to completely conceal her thin curves, then darkness enveloped him, a blindfold over his eyes dimly illuminated by the misty jade light of her Essence.  
  
"I was ordered to test your chakras, Adept." Her voice was cheerful, stern, taking her duty seriously and with pride as her hand slid downward, past his throat, idly toying with a knot over his racing heart. Bevel furrowed his brow, his mind honing in on her clinical words, on her analysis of his own training. "You are always kind, your compassion has never been in question." Warmth across his stomach, her hands a shirt away from his abs. "And your conviction, merciful Incarna, stronger, great enough to mask your golden heart."  
  
He knew exactly what she was to do next, his body tensing like a wire as her hand cupped the half-engorged root of his valor. "Though, while your physical manifestation of valor is... ah..." He prayed for her to not hesitate too long, to continue her courageous charge forward, "Outstanding, your chakra itself is your weakest virtue. Then there's your brow, and... well..."  
  
He felt a tug down, and so he gingerly bent forward, realizing just how much the ropes controlled his movement, the way her hand twitched around his cock, stimulation that made him shiver more than normal, so keenly aware that they could do nothing with him in this state, and yet how much he- no, he didn't want it, not even as he felt the delicious wet, firm wetness of her tongue circling where his caste mark would have been, almost as if she was licking his very essence.   
  
He was being tested of course, and his thoughts had to be precise, perfectly measured as to not   
  
fall-  
  
The ropes clenched around him in time with his breath, forgetting his place, his intention as essence sang across his veins as his mouth opened, a shrill cry from his throat. He cursed, finally squirming against the ropes.  
  
"Milady, what did you-" Something gently caressed his shoulder, a pleasing murmur as he felt an arm at the small of his back, pulling him downward to his knees, the ropes around him nearly cutting off the flow of what little blood wasn't violently throbbing in his shaft. It ached as he adjusted his weight, trying to at least get comfortable... only to find whenever he found an almost perfect spot, the moment he shifted minutely, holding out a sliver of hope that he could find a position, the ropes bit into another sensitive strip of skin, inflicting another thrilling almost kiss though the layer of clothes protecting him from the silk.   
  
After a long moment, the Zenith could feel the prickling of heat gathering about his face and ears, the latter flicking in the suddenly chill air, attempting to draw away sweet, delicious fire from his body. He drew sharp breaths of air, gasping in more of the calming distraction before his senses were filled with sandalwood and vanilla and something underlying, Woe's own dizzying scent, likely sweat, thick enough under the perfume she loved to be tasted on his tongue, even so far away.  
  
"Milady," Bevel winced at his own voice, high, almost absurdly squeaking before he cleared his throat, trying to face the Sidereal as his voice returned to its proper octave, "aaaah... what did you do? Please?" Again, his voice caught high, a knot nuzzling against a pleasurable spot on his ribs as he tried to fight, rolling his shoulders only to find the tension transferring downward, grinding tightly against the skin just beyond his testicles. "Incarna, milady..." The scent vanished, not a single sound betraying where his Vizier was, the whole room drenched in light, turning it impossible to see her own subtle light.  
  
He couldn't be utterly alone now, could he, distracted by these wonderful bindings as he had been? The Solar started to slowly shift his weight, jaw trembling, praying that by slowly following the ropes any more constriction would be avoided... But every involuntary shiver made the ropes react viciously, churning his thoughts away from delicacy with soft moans at first, then expanding into musical whimpers, his muscles desperately thrashing against the bindings.  
  
Fear, fear, he was terrified, wasn't he? His heart was beating against the cage of silk like a trapped bird's wings, but he knew he was so agonizingly close, everything grinding against ecstasy, drowning him in it all even without truly touching anything.   
  
Bevel's sounds rose into vociferations of Skytongue, half incoherent to his keen ears. Oh, the Pillar knew he was swearing foully, hoarse, pleading words, not at all like a proper Lawgiver should be. A Solar wouldn't be tied up, and if he was, he wouldn't be cursing the bondage he was in, certainly not because of its entrapment of him, in an impossible snarl, and definitely not begging because it wouldn't let him fucking come like a common Nexus whore.   
  
Oh, he could feel things near, caressing so very close to the final point of no return, far beyond where Bevel could recall himself to fall. And distantly, he could hear his voice echoing in the dojo, half-frantic cries as he tried to hear out his lady, vocalized simply how damn wonderful it all felt, seemingly supported and bound at every angle, each gasp coming harder as he gave up, doubling over as he thrust his hips forward, the ropes on his stomach against the agonizing bulge of his need.  
  
There, there! Bevel heard his voice hit an exquisite, musical high note, heat flooding out his loins, far longer than he would have expected as he fully slumped forward, his brow inches from the floor as he came,   
  
As he gasped for air anew, cool hands brushed across his ears, sweet enough to make him moan in relief even if the knots themselves didn't become. The light was fading now, surrounding him in comforting darkness as he coughed weakly, drained from his efforts. So pleasant and gentle, such a difference...  
  
Footsteps, then the softness of his cheek on cloth, fingers still stroking his ears. He could feel wetness, drool... his? When had he been doing that like an idiot? The blindfold was tugged off and he could see his own golden castemark's light penetrating the elusive haze of Secrets, Woe's anima encircling them like a blanket.  
  
"Feeling better?"  
  
Bevel let out a small moan, nuzzling against Woe's bosom. Definitely, he had to admit to himself, even with the ache of his muscles. "Milady, Woe?" He let himself go slack as the ropes were pulled away, another shuddering breath from his lips. "What... did I just stop?"  
  
"A side effect, that's all." A gentle puff of air on the edge of his ear, her hands moving to help him melt into a more comfortable position even as his limbs kept twitching. "My sifu told me if one wasn't prepared for it, it could inflict something of an addiction to similar sensations."  
  
Slowly, the Zenith nodded, his hands settling on the soft cloth covering her spine as his eyes drifted shut, comforted by the smell of her, the steady, swift tempo of her heart. "Ah. Milady?"  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"One of these days..." Suddenly he felt his face flush warm again as he turned his head upward, staring up at her though a nimbus of essence kissed light. "Could we do this again?" A kiss of his brow made him groan, his body recognizing the action for what it was, an intimate 'yes' that somehow dropped him right back down to what he had been only a minute before, and further, his body arching against the tiny Oracle's frame as he cried out, a second surge of heat swallowing him into darkness as he came.  
  
Even as he fell into shadowed unconsciousness, a warm answer lingered in his heart.  
  
"Yes, milord."  
  
And that made it all the sweeter.


End file.
